Phantom of the Opera

It has been said that all the best parties happen in the kitchen. And it's probably not surprising when you consider just how much the concept of a kitchen has changed in recent years. A kitchen today is likely to be part of a larger living space one that's tailor-made for entertaining.

Renowned British luxury kitchen specialist Clive Christian has addressed this trend head-on with the release of the Alpha range of bespoke kitchen furniture. The company, which has been credited with being the first to put chandeliers in the kitchen, has designed a dramatic freestanding furniture collection featuring built-in blue LED lighting. The special-effect lighting beneath the furniture creates a floating look, and is the reason the Alpha is often called the Moonlight Kitchen.

A Clive Christian spokesperson says the Alpha takes signature cues from the company's classic Victorian Kitchen, but was mostly inspired by Venetian masquerade balls and the decadent mood of Stanley Kubrick's film Eyes Wide Shut.

"Love it or hate it, this ground-breaking new direction for Clive Christian certainly mirrors the dramatic visual impact of the film," he says. "The kitchen creates an event space, which is equally fitting for a banker's city loft conversion or a sprawling country mansion owned by a rock star."

The handcrafted kitchen is as luxurious as every other Clive Christian collection. The furniture incorporates walnut, platinum leaf marquetry and recessed chrome handles. The large island unit, which the company describes as eccentric, features hand-carved, corbelled legs with lion's feet. These are finished in platinum leaf, and match the lion's head marquetry on the end panels.

Clive Christian New York will open a new showroom in the A&D Building in 2009. For more information and details of your nearest showroom, visit the website: www.clive.com.

Story by: Trendsideas